They All Want to Be Like Mike

For 11 years, Mike Ditka prowled the sidelines at Soldier Field, his emotions sometimes raging out of control, his passion for football often transmitted to fans in the city where he worked.

Ditka came back Sunday night, wearing the uniform and logo of the New Orleans Saints. He was facing the Chicago Bears, the team he once led to its only Super Bowl, instead of coaching them.

One banner put it this way: “CBS and TNT Welcome You To the Mike Ditka Show. Chicago Loves You But Not the Saints.”

Two-and-a-half hours before kickoff on a unseasonably hot day, Ditka sat by himself on the Saint bench, perhaps recalling the many games he coached from the other sideline.

Dressed in the Saints’ black garb, Ditka chatted with security guards and a number of people who stopped by to say hello, including former Chicago linebacker Ron Rivera, now a volunteer coach for the Bears.

During pregame warmups, Ditka strolled to the center of the field, meeting and talking with his successor, Dave Wannstedt, for several minutes. And when the team left after warmups, several hundred fans cheered Ditka, who walked with his head down into the locker room.

Fans near the players’ entrance draped a large banner with his likeness over the wall in front of the seats. It read: “Ba-Ba Ba-Ba Bad!” It was removed by security before kickoff.

Ditka came back for the start of the game to a warm reception, certainly not as loud as the two-minute fireworks show that shot above the scoreboard on the north side of the stadium, a curious beginning for a game between two teams who had combined for just one victory this season.

His former players remember Ditka well, especially those who played on the 1985 team that won the franchise’s only Super Bowl title, finishing with an 18-1 record. The team was full of characters and great players such as Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Gary Fencik and Mike Singletary.

Ditka was fired after a 5-11 season in 1992, finishing with a 112-68 record with the Bears.

“Until there’s another Super Bowl won by the Chicago Bears, Mike Ditka will always be known, as known as Michael Jordan, for the championships he’s won,” said Tom Thayer, a former guard and now a radio analyst for Bear games on radio. “Mike Ditka will always be known as the leader of the ’85 Bears team. No matter were you go, everybody knows the ’85 Bears team.”

LET’S SEE, EGGS, BREAD, MILK, HMMM

During Green Bay’s 21-16 victory over Tampa Bay, a strong breeze blew the play sheet out of Buccaneer Coach Tony Dungy’s hands during a timeout in the third quarter. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre picked up the sheet, feigned looking at it briefly and then returned it.

IT JUST PROVES THAT HELMETS ARE FOR WIMPS

Think Baltimore Raven special teams player Benny Thompson doesn’t take his job seriously? On a second-quarter kickoff, Thompson’s helmet was jarred off his head by a hard hit and he still managed to make the tackle on Pittsburgh’s Mike Adams.

JAMES, DON’T GET YOUR NOSE ALL OUT OF JOINT

Maimi’s Lamar Thomas and Kansas City’s James Hasty had several altercations during the Dolphins’ 17-14 victory, including one in which both ended up on the ground. “The practice player,” Hasty said of Thomas. “I don’t mind a guy trying to cut me, but then you’re going to try and hit me in the back and I don’t take too kindly to that. I’m playing within the rules.”

Perhaps, though, Thomas can be forgiven for being a little cranky. He dislocated a finger during pregame warmups and had to receive an injection of a painkiller before the finger could be put back into place.

LOSING HAS A FUNNY TENDENCY TO DO THAT

Including playoff games, the Chiefs have lost five in a row and 10 of their last 12 against the Dolphins. Kansas City has a 1-6 record at Pro Player Stadium, posting the victory in 1989. “A lot of guys haven’t won down here in a lot of years and it really gets under their skin,” Marcus Allen said.

PROOF WE’RE OUT OF ITEMS TO WRITE ABOUT

New York Jet kicker John Hall had touchbacks on four of his five kickoffs, giving the rookie free agent 20 for the season. No other kicker had more than 10 going into Sunday’s games. Brad Daluiso had a league-high 20 last season for the New York Giants.

Hall also remained perfect in field goal attempts of 40 or more yards when he made a 53-yarder in the second quarter. He’s made three attempts of over 50 yards, including a 55-yarder on his first attempt in the NFL.

--Compiled by Houston Mitchell

Class of ’95

New England’s Curtis Martin, Denver’s Terrell Davis and Oakland’s Napoleon Kaufman, all drafted in 1995, are on pace to rush for a combined 5,573 yards. It would be the highest total by three players drafted in the same year. A look: *--*

Draft Players Season Yds 1982 Marcus Allen, Joe Morris, Gerald Riggs 1985 4,814 1990 Terry Allen, Barry Foster, Emmitt Smith 1992 4,604 1983 Gary Anderson, Roger Craig, Eric Dickerson 1988 4,280 1977 Tony Dorsett, Pete Johnson, Wilbert Montgomery 1981 4,125 1979 Ottis Anderson, William Andrews, Ted Brown 1981 3,740

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE PLAYMAKERS RUSHING

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Player, Team No. Yds. TD GARY BROWN, Chargers 36 181 1 STEVE BROUSSARD, Seahawks 6 138 2 JEROME BETTIS, Steelers 28 137 0 WARRICK DUNN, Buccaneers 16 125 1 EDDIE GEORGE, Oilers 26 116 0 BARRY SANDERS, Lions 25 107 0 RICKY WATTERS, Eagles 31 104 2

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PASSING

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Player, Team Att. Comp. Yds. TD TROY AIKMAN, Cowboys 52 34 317 1 KENT GRAHAM, Cardinals 38 22 293 1 BRAD JOHNSON, Vikings 39 25 292 2 VINNY TESTAVERDE, Ravens 47 28 290 3 JEFF GEORGE, Raiders 42 19 271 1 WARREN MOON, Seahawks 40 27 260 0 DAN MARINO, Dolphins 31 19 259 1 KORDELL STEWART, Steelers 28 18 246 3 TY DETMER, Eagles 27 17 246 0

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RECEIVING

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Player, Team No. Yds. TD YANCEY THIGPEN, Steelers 7 162 0 RANDAL HILL, Saints 5 121 1 HERMAN MOORE, Lions 8 116 0 ROB MOORE, Cardinals 8 108 0 NAPOLEON KAUFMAN, Raiders 3 100 1 FRANK SANDERS, Cardinals 7 99 0 ANDRE REED, Bills 5 95 1 ERIC GREEN 8 92 1

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